And here are the final story extracts from participants – Isabella, Lily and Hannah at our Summer Reading Writing Workshop with Angela Hammond. And if you ordered a Summer Read card – they are ready for collection from the front desk. Once Upon A time….
Once Upon a Time by Isabella
Once upon a time there was a big, dark haunted house set at the top of the hill overlooking a rough, roaring sea. Covered with spooky cobwebs. Stuck between the cobwebs was a skeleton. A spider was hanging from the skeleton's legs, it was moving ever so slowly…………Suddenly a little girl walked through the old iron gate as it creaked slightly. She walked through the ivy covered garden. When suddenly a heavy brown hand dropped over her mouth and in a deep voice it said “shut your eyes!”. The poor girl did what she was told and shut her eyes immediately.
The mysterious creature took her to a weird world of wonder… The creature let go of the girl's mouth and demanded her to open her eyes. The girl looked at the strange creature. He had hairy brown legs and arms and a huge black cape that ran down to his toes. His face was horrid looking with red liquid dripping from his teeth. Alice suspected that is was blood until he explained it was fishes' blood, that he had for breakfast. As he talked the girl was lead through a mysterious archway and through the arch there was a huge haunted house that looked just like the one she explored earlier in the day.
This is my house?” The Apeman said. In a big loud voice.
“Oh well it looks just like the house I explored! Speaking of which, why did you take me here?”
“I took you away because a long time ago a girl lived there, her name was Louise. Louise was ten when she first ever went into her own garden, but when she did a weird looking man grabbed her and Louise was never seen again,” the Apeman explained.
“Oh, that's why you kidnapped me!”
“Yes, of course, I was saving you!”
The Fairy by Lily
Once upon a time there was the Fairy. He was very kind. He once was playing violin in the garden. In the afternoon he saw a lake. It was very pretty. In the lake he saw a little boy in a leaf. It looked like he built a boat. And guess what he did? He built a boat and guess what he built? A leaf boat. He was fast asleep in the leaf boat. He was surprised that he saw a leaf boat. He wondered how he did it so he tried to make one too. He tried and he tried and he still couldn't do it. Then he gave up when he really couldn't do it. Then he saw him wake up and he ran over to the boy and said how did you build that boat. He said, “I didn't build it. I found this morning and I thought I'd have a little rest in it. “So you didn't build it. No I didn't build it”. “I tried making one when I saw you in it.” Then they saw the youngest human they had ever seen. Then she said where is my leaf boat. “I haven't finished my leaf boat.” Then they said it was the youngest human. They were very surprised.
Pet Frog By Hannah
I bent down to wash my face in the lily pool but when I saw my reflection it wasn't me! Hi my name is Crystal and I have a pet frog. My pet frog has always had a little golden ball. He must have found it at the bottom of the pool. But now looking at my reflection I looked prettier than I actually am! Usually I just have plain dull brown hair and a red dress but my reflection had glossy blonde hair, a beautiful blue and white gown and finally to top it off a little straw hat. Wait a second…. In my dreams this is how I have always wanted to look like! Suddenly a voice whispered “I only show you what you want to see!” I gasped, the voice sounded like it was coming from the lily pool. No this couldn't be!……But it was. Wow I thought. Then suddenly I giggled. I wish I could look like a princess, I thought. Suddenly I look back into my reflection and saw a young girl with shiny black hair, a tiny little delicate tiara and then I gasped again. I had a silver gown studded with pearls, rubies and diamonds. I ran home to tell my mum but of course she would not believe me! Suddenly I forgot my pet frog Croak was still at the pool! When I ran back I started laughing. Croak in his reflection had on a tuxedo and bow! Then I stopped grinning. The girl was not smiling and she was mouthing the words “help me”. Suddenly I knew what to do. I leant forward and …toppled straight into the pool! I fell down, down and then standing next to me was the girl!. Hi” I said. “Hi”, she shot back. Then she showed me the way out…well. That's my story. I wrote it sitting next to the girl her name? Crystal.